JOURNALISTS from Welsh broadcaster S4C were caught up in violent scenes in Egypt’s capital yesterday – as anti-government protesters clashed with supporters of beleaguered President Hosni Mubarak.

In scenes of chaos on the streets of Cairo, the two sides pelted each other with stones and other weapons, and pro-government attackers on horseback and camels were dragged off the animals and beaten.

It erupted after Mr Mubarak went on national television last night and rejected demands he step down immediately, saying he would serve out the remaining seven months of his term.

Sian Morgan, reporter with S4C’s Y Byd ar Bedwar had been conducting an interview with a Welsh couple living in Cairo for a special report to be broadcast on Monday, when she found herself caught among thousands of pro-Mubarak supporters.

Speaking from Cairo she said: “We were recording the interview when we started hearing car horns and people getting closer and closer. I thought at the time it was hundreds of people, but in reality it must have been thousands.

“We got in our vehicle and followed the supporters up the street towards Tahrir Square where the anti-Government protesters have been.

“The atmosphere was very aggressive and tense. It was as if years of pent-up tension were pouring out in the space of a couple of hours. Violence was inevitable.

“I got out of the car to try and record a piece to camera and the protesters just turned on me. One man was shouting that he was going to attack me. They seemed to think that we were anti-Mubarak or that reporting had been too anti him.

“It was quite frightening. He was pushing me and we were trying to explain that we wanted to give his point of view. We were completely surrounded by pent-up, angry men with fire in their eyes.”

“It really feels like it is ready to blow here, the tension is rising so high.”

Nearly 10,000 anti-government protesters had massed again in Tahrir Square, rejecting Mr Mubarak’s speech as too little too late and renewing their demands for him to leave immediately.

Hours later, the 3,000 Mubarak supporters broke through a human chain of anti-government protesters trying to defend thousands gathered in Tahrir, according to eyewitnesses.

Chaos erupted as they tore down banners denouncing the president. Fist-fights broke out as they advanced across the massive square in the heart of the capital, with the anti-government movement grabbing posters from the hands of their rivals and ripping them up.

From there the violence escalated into street battles, with protesters on both sides tearing up stones from the street and from a nearby construction site and hurling stones, chunks of concrete and sticks at each other.

Prime Minister David Cameron meanwhile urged the Egyptian government to accelerate the process of political change as violence erupted in the streets of Cairo.

Mr Cameron condemned the violence and warned that it would be “utterly unacceptable” if it was state-sponsored.

Speaking alongside UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon after talks in Number 10, the Prime Minister said the clashes underlined the need for speedy political reforms.

The Prime Minister said: “These are despicable scenes we are seeing and they should not be repeated.

“They underline the need for political reform and frankly for that political reform to be accelerated and to happen quickly.”

Speaking outside Number 10, Mr Cameron said: “If it turns out that the regime in any way has been sponsoring or tolerating this violence, that would be completely and utterly unacceptable.”

Mr Ban added: “I once again urge restraint to all sides. Any attack against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable and I very strongly condemn it.”

A special Y Byd ar Bedwar on the Egypt protests will be broadcast on S4C on Monday night at 9.30pm